Want to switch careers?
When my husband said he wanted to go from a professional chef to a software engineer his family thought he was crazy. The thing was, he wasn’t happy and wanted more for himself and he made it happen. So, how do you make those big decisions? How do you change your career and do a complete 180?
Here are some tips to get you started!
1- Live a day in the life Shadow professionals in fields your interested in to observe work first hand. Reach out and ask if you can assist that person for a week or offer to volunteer your skills. This way you can get a hands-on feel for the job and see if you truly like it.
2- Make a list of what you enjoy Remember when you were young? What did you love at that time? What made you feel inspired and happy? Was there something others always commented on that you did well? Focus on these things and create a list. It will help you take a look at what you enjoy and would want to move towards in the future.
3- Seek out a career counselor Consider speaking with a professional [career counselor] (https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-choose-a-career-counselor-or-coach-2059777) to help get yourself on track. They can assist you in narrowing down what you are looking for and get you focused on some options.
4- Upgrade those skills Look for ways to develop new skills in your current job which will help pave the way for change. If your company offers any type of training (on-site or off), sign up for as many classes as you can and learn. Or, consider investigating your options further by taking some [online courses] (https://www.lynda.com/) to glimpse what you might enjoy.
5- Consider a new role in the SAME industry Think of alternative roles within your current job that would utilize the knowledge you already have. For example; if you are a programmer who no longer wants to program you could consider project management within your field. There are many ways to take your current skills and transfer them within your field.
Has anyone changed careers before?
How did you like your new one? Was the transition difficult for you?
I haven't, but my friends have. I have always been too nervous to make a big change like that. Good for your husband or anyone else who does it tho.
Yup. Went from working part time as a vet tech to the automotive industry. I make 3xs as much and really love my job. I do miss the animals, but not the BS that went along with that job. I am much happier now and wouldn't go back. My advice is to start small and think big. Try new things and be open to all ideas.
Wow, that's pretty awesome for your husband. I bet he makes more now too. I went from being in a call center to working in IT. It more than doubled my income as I went through a couple of job changes to get here, but I am much happier and more satisfied with the kind of work I do. I also have a lot more freedom with my work/personal life. I think if you want to change things in your work life you absolutely should go for it.
Was working a steady job for awhile. Had a disagreement with my boss, got fired. Threw everything in the car and moved. Now work in the healthcare industry, have a nice apartment, perfect weather all the time, and a beautiful girlfriend. The move and having some shitty jobs to stay afloat when I first got here was hard, but definitely worth it in the end. Life is too short to be miserable.